Athletic Utility Players Teel and Nicholson Enhance Rafters Offense

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. - The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are pleased to announce the additions of two position players that will play a large role in the Rafters offensive attack in 2020.

Kyle Teel is a premiere high school player from Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Teel is currently committed to play for the University of Virginia, 2015 College World Series Champions. He is also projected to be drafted in the high rounds of the 2020 MLB Draft.

Teel is an athletic and versatile player, expected to start the Northwoods League season as an infielder. Teel has played every field position, apart from pitching, displaying incredible athleticism.

The accolades for Teel are innumerous. The Mahwah High School player has played in the Area Code games, East Coast Pro Showcase, and in the PDP League, a league at IMG Academy in Florida exclusively for the top eighty high school players in the country. MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds, a former MLB All-Star, presented Teel with his PDP jersey in a special ceremony.

Scouts ooze positives when talking about Teel. USA Baseball called Teel "...one of the most athletic and energetic catchers in the country for the 2020 class," Baseball Prospect Journal said that if drafted in 2020, Teel has a chance to be the highest-drafted prep catcher in New Jersey state history. ProspectsLive.com called Teel "...the best player in the state of New Jersey."

Rafters Head Coach Craig Noto also gushes about Teel's talent: "Kyle is one of the Top 100 players in the '20 High School class with the potential to be top of the draft MLB selection. He's a very polished offensive player with a high motor, who has a wide range of skills on both sides of the ball. Kyle has a strong commitment to the University of Virginia, we are excited to give a young man of his ability an opportunity to compete in the Northwoods League."

West Virginia native Myles Nicholson is an excellent utility player for Mount St. Mary's. Nicholson is a career .326 hitter for the Mountaineers and has been the fastest man in the Northeast Conference (NEC), stealing 64 bases over three seasons.

The best season for Nicholson as a college player came in 2019. Nicholson hit .365 at the top of the order, scoring 43 runs and swiping 37 bases, best in the NEC. In 2020, Nicholson was hitting .275 with one home run and five steals before the premature end to the college baseball season. Over the summer of 2019, Nicholson took his stolen base prowess to the Asheboro Copperheads of the Coastal Plain League, and stole a team-best 27 bases, fourth in the league.

"Myles is an exciting player!" Head Coach Craig Noto says of Nicholson. "He has the ability to turn innings and games around on the offensive side of the ball. He's been a productive offensive player for three years at Mount St. Mary's who I believe will play at the professional level. I expect that his impact as an experienced positional player will pay huge dividends for our ball club throughout the season."

The Rafters Home Opener is slated for 6:05pm on Wednesday, May 27th against the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders. For more information on the different ticket packages visit Raftersbaseball.com or call the Rafthouse at 715-424-5400. Due to the current Safer at Home Order, the front office at Witter Field is closed to the public indefinitely.